Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
  • A61C3/00—Dental tools or instruments
  • A61C3/02—Tooth drilling or cutting instruments; Instruments acting like a sandblast machine
  • A61C3/025—Instruments acting like a sandblast machine, e.g. for cleaning, polishing or cutting teeth

Definitions

• the present invention relates to dental abrasion systems and techniques and more particularly to the control of airborne abrasion materials by way of fluid streams, such as for example a water-aerosol spray.
• rotary drills typically involve the use of rotary drills. These drills perform at preset speeds; typically “high or “low”. As a result, these instruments lack fine control and are imprecise. Furthermore, the drilled surfaces are relatively smooth and are generally not ideal adhesive surfaces for the metals, porcelain, acrylics and/or composites routinely used in dental practice.
• AAMD air abrasion in micro-dentistry
• Conventional AAMD devices are not capable of controlling emissions of both the abrasive dust and airborne abraded dental amalgam material, inside the mouth of the patient and outside to the dental operatory.
• the abrasive material typically includes an aluminum oxide powder of 27.5 to 50.0 microns in particle size and therefore travels easily in ambient air as dust. Its aluminum content makes it a toxicological risk for Alzheimer's Disease.
• the abraded dental amalgam can have toxic constituents such as mercury from old dental fillings. This contamination of dental operatories persists in current applications despite the use of high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuum systems.
• HEPA high efficiency particulate air
• extensive use of intraoral latex rubber dams are also necessary to aid in the prevention of inhaling the respirable aluminum powder by patients.
• a dental abrasion device comprising first delivery means to deliver pressurized abrasive material to a tooth region and second delivery means to deliver a supply of pressurized fluid near said tooth region under conditions sufficient to suppress airborne emissions of said abrasive material from said tooth region.
• the first delivery means includes a head and a nozzle mounted on the head with a first conduit therein to receive the abrasive material.
• the second delivery means includes a plurality of second conduits near the first conduit to receive the pressurized fluid.
• the second conduits are arranged so that the fluid leaving them generates, for example, a curtain-like stream toward the tooth region.
• the individual fluid streams leaving the second conduits converge to a hollow substantially continuous stream to define an inner region.
• the first conduit may be arranged to deliver the abrasive material to the inner region.
• the pressure and content of the fluid stream can thus retard or, in some cases prevent, airborne abrasive material from breaking through the curtain, either causing it to be entrained in the fluid or to be repelled back into the inner region.
• the pressurized fluid may be provided in a variety of forms including a mixture of water and a gas such as air, or other suitable gases such as nontoxic or inert gases, for example nitrogen or carbon dioxide.
• a gas such as air, or other suitable gases such as nontoxic or inert gases, for example nitrogen or carbon dioxide.
• the fluid may include 10 to 75 percent water by volume, or more preferably 25 to 65 percent water by volume.
• the pressurized fluid itself may be dispensed, if desired, at pressures ranging from 5 to 75 psi, for example.
• a dental abrasion device comprising first delivery means to deliver abrasive material to a tooth region and second delivery means to deliver a supply of pressurized fluid near said tooth region under suitable conditions for retarding the passage of airborne abrasive material there through.
• the pressurized fluid forms a curtain of fluid around the tooth region. More preferably, the curtain completely encircles the tooth region.
• a dental abrasion system operable to deliver an abrasive material stream to a tooth region and a fluid stream near said tooth region under conditions sufficient to suppress airborne abrasive material emissions from said tooth region.
• a method of abrading a tooth comprising the steps of delivering first supply of abrasive material to a tooth region in a patient's oral cavity and delivering a second supply of fluid near said tooth region, wherein said fluid has sufficient volume and pressure to form a barrier to airborne abrasive material between said tooth region and said oral cavity.
• the invention provides a dental abrading tool that utilizes abrasive dust as the abrasion material, and which provides effective dust suppression by the use of a fluid stream, such as for example a water-aerosol spray.
• a fluid stream such as for example a water-aerosol spray.
• the tool emits a stream of the abrasive material as well as the water-aerosol spray, the latter under conditions sufficient to minimize the amount of dust leaving the tooth region and thus control widespread contamination by the airborne abrasive material.
• the dental abrading tool may be hand controlled, by way of "push button” or “touch sensory” controls.
• the controls may be such that the fluid and abrasive streams are continuously variable, are regulated in a stepwise manner (ie. high-medium-low), or are controlled in a simple on-off manner.
• the tool may also be used with a foot pedal or other such control mechanisms.
• the invention may also control the composition of the abrasive material stream and the fluid stream, such as pressure, flow rate, temperature and the like.
• the tool can also be made adaptable to operatory compressors, and water and electrical supply outlets as allowed by available technology.
• Figure 1 is a side view of a dental abrading tool
• Figure 2 is a magnified side view of one portion of the tool of figure 1;
• FIGS 3b to 3d are side views of alternatives to the portion shown in figures 2 and 3a;
• Figures 4 and 5 are side views of alternative dental abrading tools
• Figure 6 is a side view of still another dental abrading tool
• Figure 7 is an assembly view of the tool of figure 6;
• Figure 7a is a magnified view of a portion of the tool of figure 6;
• Figure 7b is a schematic view of a dental abrasion system
• Figures 8a through 8e are schematic views of a dental abrading technique.
• an abrading tool is shown at 1 having a head section
• the head section 2 defines a cavity 12 into which a water supply tube 9 opens and across which an abrasive material supply tube 8 extends.
• a detachable nozzle 10 is affixed to a portion of tube 8 that extends outwards from the head section 2.
• Body section 3 is an elongated structure containing a series of tubes 4, 5, 6, and 7 which cross but do not empty internally to body section 3.
• Tube 7 crosses the entire length of body section 3 and opens externally at either ends of body section 3 at tube openings 7a and 7b.
• tubes 4 and 5 open externally to body section 3 at tube openings 4a and 5 a respectively.
• tubes 4 and 5 merge into a single tube 6.
• This latter tube 6 opens externally to body section 3 at tube opening 6a.
• an external control portion may be a convenient place to mix the constituents of the pressurized fluid.
• tube 9 joins with tube 6 (openings 9a and 6a form a juncture point) and tube 8 joins with tube 7 (openings 8a and 7a form a juncture point).
• Air may be pumped into tube 4 (through tube opening 4a) and water into tube 5 (through tube opening 5a) or vice versa.
• the air and water streams are mixed to form a water-aerosol at the point in which tubes 4 and 5 merge, and in tube 6 thereafter.
• This water-aerosol flows through tube 6, and then tube 9 to empty into cavity 12.
• Abrasive material is streamed under pressure into tube 7 via opening 7b.
• the abrasive material streams through tube 7 into contiguously joined tube 8 to exit at tube opening 8b.
• a nozzle 10 is further attached to tube 8 via threaded means 13a and 13b, though it will be understood that other attachment modes and means are feasible.
• Nozzle 10 opens at some external point (10a) to head section 2.
• This nozzle 10 and its opening 10a can be of various sizes and configurations.
• abrasive material is streamed under pressure through tube 8, to subsequently exit through opening 10a to nozzle 10.
• the water-aerosol emptying from tube 9 fills cavity 12 of head section 2.
• the water-aerosol is channelled through openings 11 of head section 2 to form a water curtain that surrounds nozzle 10. It is the formation of this water curtain that may be configured effectively to control and minimize the widespread contamination of the surroundings by airborne abrasive material emitted through nozzle 10.
• Figures 3a through 3d show alternatives to the head section 2 in which the fixed angle that tube 9 crosses cavity 12 varies. It should be noted that other embodiments are envisioned in which a swivel hinge or mechanism is incorporated in a single head section 2 thus allowing for the variable adjustment of this angle.
• Figure 4 illustrates an alternative in which the controlling mechanism for regulating the abrasive material stream and the analogous controlling mechanism for regulating the water-aerosol stream are push-button switches (15 and 17 respectively). These switches function in a simple on-off format. Electrical line 18 supplies electricity to switch 17 and electrical line 16 supplies electricity to switch 15.
• the controlling mechanism for regulating the abrasive material stream is a touch-control switch 19, while the touch-control switch 21 regulates the water-aerosol stream. These switches are turned on or activated when depressed. Electrical lines 20 and 22 supply power to switches 19 and 21, respectively.
• Figures 6, 7 and 7a illustrate another dental abrading tool 40.
• the tool 40 has a downstream nozzle portion 42 and an upstream body portion 44.
• the body portion has a central section 46 which is joined to two end sections 48 and 50, each defining downstream and upstream ends 48a and 50a, respectively.
• the upstream body portion 44 also has a pair of channels 52, 54 to receive the fluid stream and the abrasion material stream from external supply lines 56 and 58, respectively.
• the supply lines are suitably mounted in a connector 60 which is coupled to the upstream body section by a threaded ring 62.
• the channels 52, 54 extend between the downstream end 48a and the upstream end 50a.
• the downstream end is coupled with the nozzle portion 42 by way of threaded collar 64.
• the nozzle portion 42 includes a main portion 70 with a nozzle body 72 threadably coupled therewith.
• the nozzle body also has a nozzle end piece 74 which is threadably coupled with the nozzle body.
• the nozzle portion has a cavity which forms, together with the nozzle body, an inner fluids receiving chamber 76 which is open only to the channel 52 and to a number of conduits, in this cases external orifices shown at 78.
• fluids at the entry end of the main body travel through the channel, into the nozzle body, into the chamber and through the orifices to form a curtain which is shown by the short dashed lines at 80.
• the conduits may be provided in a number of configurations including slits or generally circular passages which are oriented to deliver the fluids at an angle ⁇ , as shown in figure 7a, which may range from 0 to 45 degrees, for example.
• the nozzle portion also forms with the nozzle body a single passage for the abrasive material from the channel 54 through to the nozzle, thereby forming a path for the abrasive material through the channel, through the nozzle body and along the path shown by the chain dotted lines at 82.
• the abrasive material path is centrally located relative to the fluid paths leaving the orifices.
• the tool 40 may from part of a dental abrasion system 90 which includes an external control portion which includes a first supply channel 92 to supply apressurized stream of abrasion materials and a second supply channel 94 to supply a stream of pressurized fluid.
• the control portion may also include controls 96, 98 to adjust the variables for each stream.
• the first and second channels may include compressors, mixing chambers, heaters and other means for preparing and conditioning the two streams.
• FIG. 8a The operation of the tool is illustrated in the figures 8a to 8e.
• three teeth are shown schematically by the rectangles 'T' .
• the abrasive path is shown as the 'bullseye' of a target shown at 82 while the fluid path is shown as a relatively wider circle near the periphery of the tooth T by the dashed lines at 80. While not intending to be bound by theory, it is believed that individual abrasive materials collide with the tooth in the tooth region and assume random trajectories illustrated for example by the four compass like arrows in figure 8b, thereby toward the fluid curtain at the circle 80.
• the curtain 80 may be larger than the periphery of the tooth as shown by figure 8c or may take on an ellipsoid like pattern relative to the tooth, as for example might occur if the dental tool is positioned at a smaller angle relative to the tooth. In this latter case, the trajectories of the abrasive materials is shown generally in the right hand direction.
• the curtain is in fact a convergence of fluid flows from the individual orifices 78, in this particular example.
• the fluid will have a momentum which will be dependent on the proportion of the fluid which is a relatively dense material such as water.
• the greater the proportion of water in the fluid stream the greater the chance that the approaching abrasion material particle with collide with or become entrained with an individual droplet in the fluid. This may cause the particle to be repelled back toward the tooth region and thus remain airborne or otherwise be entrained in the fluid.
• the technique may not in some cases have the capability to inhibit each and every abrasion particle from actually penetrating the curtain, passing through it and remaining airborne on outside the curtain, it is believed that the technique can be adjusted to provide very high recapture rate.
• liberated particles should have lost a significant portion of its energy, thereby reducing its capacity to damage or otherwise penetrate tissues near the tooth region and outside the curtain.
• the abrasive material thus becomes entrained in the fluids or the saliva of the patient or both which can subsequently be removed by conventional suction techniques.
• the device should be prepared in a manner suitable for its intended used. This may include, for example, fabricating the device from autoclavable materials or those which are capable to be sterilized by other techniques. It may also be appropriate in some cases to provide the tool as a disposable article.
• the system may alternatively be arranged wherein the abrasive material is supplied by one tool and the barrier-forming fluid stream suppled by another implement.
• 'suppress' and 'barrier' are intended not to limit the invention necessarily to only those cases where the suppression and barriers are absolute. Rather, these terms are intended to include cases where the suppression and barriers may only function to prevent a portion of the airborne abrasive material from leaving the tooth region. For example, there may be significant benefit to be gained by preventing, for example, 90 percent of the airborne abrasion materials from leaving the tooth region.
• the device is also convenient because the curtain can be arranged to provide improved suppression without significantly blocking the dental professional's view of the tooth region.
• the fluid barrier cooperates with a physical barrier, the latter being, for example behind the tooth region and there is in a position not to impair the professional' s view of the tooth region, for example.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (AREA)
• Dentistry (AREA)
• Epidemiology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Dental Tools And Instruments Or Auxiliary Dental Instruments (AREA)

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• 2000
  • 2000-03-02 DE DE60030142T patent/DE60030142T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-03-02 AU AU28986/00A patent/AU2898600A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-03-02 BR BR0015005-3A patent/BR0015005A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-03-02 AT AT00907373T patent/ATE336203T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-03-02 JP JP2001531048A patent/JP2003511195A/ja active Pending
  • 2000-03-02 EP EP00907373A patent/EP1223884B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-03-02 WO PCT/CA2000/000208 patent/WO2001028449A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 2000-03-02 MX MXPA02003769A patent/MXPA02003769A/es unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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